WEEK 8 - SMART BOARDS & STEAM INTEGRATION
Common Core Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards expect all students in California to meet certain grade-level standards. In order to do this, all students need to receive access to the same tools and advantages whenever possible. A kindergarten student might not need the exact same technology - or might not use technology - in the exact same way as a 5th grader, but providing technology-rich experiences from a young age will build the confidence and aptitude all students need to succeed in an increasingly technological world. Similarly, I've seen Special Ed classrooms make great use of technology. In one Special Ed class I observed, interacting with Smart Boards gave the students a great sense of pride and a feeling of accomplishment. Students got the experience of interacting directly with the screen, as well as answering questions from their own individual tablets. Being able to answer through their tablets and see all of their answers tallied on the Smart Board eliminated any sense of self-consciousness the students might have experienced by answering verbally. It also gave them a fun, engaging way to participate in class. Technology can do that for students at every age and learning level.
I loved some of the lessons described in the article about Nuuanu Elementary School. The storyboards and animation particularly sparked my interest. I'm a film writing major and I have experience with storyboards both for screenplays and my work. I could totally see how experiencing that process would inspire kids to write creative passages. That's something I would love to introduce to my students.
I also was really inspired by the way Nuuanu integrated technology into every aspect of their curriculum. I hope to be able to do the same thing in my classroom. I'm not sure if I will be hired at a school with technology readily available, but taking this course has made me think about how many resources are available for free or at a very low cost. I've been passionate about equity in education ever since I volunteered at a Head Start Program when I was in high school. I have written successful grants for many of my local Title I public schools, so if there's something my students need, I would try to be resourceful like the administration and teachers at Nuuanu to try to help bring those tools to my students. I wish we didn't have to resort to things like grants and corporate sponsorships to fund our schools. I believe that we should be investing far more money in education, and working hard to ensure that all of our students have the same technological tools and opportunities. That's something I will keep fighting for, as well.
Em, I love that you mentioned abut how you have seen how using technology really enhances their learning and I 100% agree with the whole being self conscious in responding. Having an alternative way like a smart board is a great way for those students who are shy to give them that self-confidence. I mean I even see it with us adults when in class hence through zoom at the moment and nobody wants to speak up, I mean using technology like a smart board even helps us to not be so self conscious. Yes they are integrating the common core standards and the NGSS because this school is allowing every grade level meaning every child to be able to use the technology the school is providing. Omg that is awesome that you have helped your students by writing them a recommendation letter. I agree with you Em, that schools need to be more invested because at the end of the day we want equal opportunities for all of our students. I also advocate for that very strongly. I love to hear that you have done story boards and how you would love to incorporate that process with your own students. For me, I honestly need to really think about how I would incorporate technology in a STEM school because before taking this course I was on the fence of not giving children so much technology but now I really do see how important it is to incorporate technology.
ReplyDeleteAs stated by Alyssa Mayer in the article, children are naturally curious if we as teachers build on the "Why" using technology we can give them a way to view their world from a STEM perspective. Students who get a good STEM education are highly likely to be very competitive in the future workforce market "Dr. Ad El Khalick " said these are jobs for the future in the United States. One aspect of the technology training will include how to use a smart board interactive which in my opinion can make a big difference in the classroom. As stated by Em and Jacki it enhances student learning and most of all create a love for learning. When students are able to interreact with a learning device such as the smart board to show their understanding , it makes a big difference for them, they feel empowered and in control, they feel that they are able to show their learning in many different way and they enjoy working collaboratively with their friends. I personally worked with the smart board and my kindergarteners to create their own version of jack and the beanstalk. The project was so engaging and my children learned how to problem solve while using technology. Children had to build the set then video themselves using their IPADS playing different scenes and at the end we used the smart board to edit adding animation and pictures and watch the full story on the smart board. so I believe that the goal should be creating a STEM school to infuse science, technology, engineering and math throughout the curriculum and as stated by EM we should not count on grants and donations to open such school or program, we should provided with it's resources and we should be trained to deliver it to the best of our abilities.
DeleteI love the Jack and the Beanstock project! I do not have a lot of in-class experience, so I will have so many questions for you guys about planning amazing interactive projects like that. Jackie, I was hesitant like you about technology. A lot of parents I know are very anti-technology, especially for young children, but this class has really made me feel strongly about advocating for it. I have been observing a kindergarten class this semester and I shared the link to scratch with my mentor teacher! I think her students would really get a lot of that. In my sons' classrooms, I have seen technology bring things to life for kids in ways that I don't think a traditional lecture and worksheet type of assignment could achieve.
DeleteEm, I'm so glad that the tablets and smart board have encouraged the students to participate and engage with the activity. I also love the idea of having students answer in another way other than verbally. It would create space for those students who are not as confident or a little shy. I've heard of many teachers and parents with the mindset that young students don't need technology at their age. That they will use it when they are older. I believe this attitude stems from a lack of information. Technology can enrich the classroom and prepares the students for technology they will use in the future. The teacher in the Nuuanu Elementary School stood out to me because he let the children problem solve. I tend to intervene right away when students struggle but I realize that they are capable of figuring it out!
ReplyDeleteA quote that stood out to me in the article written by Heckel was that "Technology training will include how to use a SMART Board in a math lesson so it's not glorified chalkboard, but interactive..." I've seen classrooms where smart boards and interactive resources are left gathering dust because teachers are not familiar with the technology. Some technology is merely used to substitute paper and pencil. If teachers are provided with trainings or given additional prep time to learn the ins and outs of the resources it would benefit their classroom in so many ways.
I found this website with various project ideas for the classroom! It is for kindergartners but it can be used for older children too.
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/subjects/kindergarten
I love that link, Cindy! Thank you for sharing. I just copied it over into my IDEAS FOLDER for classroom activities. That's sad to hear about the Smart Boards you've seen in some of your classrooms. I think they can be really engaging for kids when they're used correctly. I know the touch screen might be challenging during these Covid times, but there are also pointers that work with them that could easily be wiped down between students.
DeleteIt really is so exciting to hear real stories from my peers on how technology positively affected the classroom. It really struck me and reminded me of my experience in grade school when I read about only letting "the good kids" have access to the technology, but when we do that what happens to the children who don't meet those standards? Are they just left out on the rich educational experiences that arguably directly affects their future careers? That should not be the case. Before I took this class, as a parent I wasn't fully anti-technology, but I was definitely leery of it. The affects it can have on the young mind and whether they were positive or negative. While I still am not all for certain aspects, this course and the material I have been exposed to has definitely changed my mind and I hope that it will positively affect my future classrooms. I love how Cindy mentioned the SMART boards and how they are not just glorified white boards, but that they are interactive and supportive of further learning granted that the teachers implementing these technologies have adequate training. Something else that struck me were the children in the Nuuanu Elementary where they were encouraged to problem solve. I too am not quite comfortable with those "awkward yet constructive" silences and tend to give in, but the more I learn and am exposed to it I realize just how important it truly is. And worse case scenario, the student gets the answer wrong or they make a mistake, but the value in this is that they get an opportunity to learn from that mistake. This is actually where learning is most strongly impacted and STEM brings these experiences into the classroom. What is engineering but creative science?
ReplyDeleteBethany, I totally thought about that with my own schooling, as well. Only the more advanced kids in my elementary school had access to technology. I agree with you too about those awkward silences. I am working on getting more comfortable with that, and reminding myself to prompt the students with thoughtful questions rather than jumping in to solve things.
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